Dairy Allergy?

Many people find that they are sensitive to dairy products, experiencing a host of symptoms including gas, diarrhea, skin rash and fatigue when they consume milk and other dairy products. Yet, because adverse reactions to foods don’t necessarily occur right after consumption, sometimes occurring hours or even days after the food has been eaten, many people are uncertain as to which specific food may have triggered the unforeseen and unwanted symptoms. Additionally, there are so many “hidden” sources of dairy-derived ingredients that it takes a concerted effort to figure out whether you may be sensitive to dairy.

Lactose (one of the primary sugars in cow’s milk) and casein (one of the primary proteins in cow’s milk) are found in many processed foods. Lactose is added for flavor and casein for emulsification, texture and protein supplementation. The only way to tell for sure whether they are added to a food product is to read the food label.

Here is a list of processed foods that may contain casein:

Bakery glazes

Breath mints

Coffee whiteners

Fortified cereals

High-protein beverage powders

Ice cream

Infant formulas

Nutrition bars

Processed meats

Salad dressings

Whipped toppings

Casein’s also tend to pop up in soy based products. Look for words such as caseinates and sodium caseinate as well as casein. Lactose is often added to processed meat for flavor.

If you are trying to figure out if you have a dairy allergy the process is time-consuming, and it takes a lot of patience! But it is still the best way to decide if dairy is a problem for you or not.

If you need guidance with the process please contact me. I have some valuable resources to share with you.